“Language justice goes beyond simply providing interpretation or translation. Language justice is about centering the dignity of those impacted,” writes Chi-Ser Tran, Supervising Attorney in the SSI Unit and Language Access Project at CLS. In this article, written for MIE, Chi-Ser shares her experience of caring for her father through an illness, describing how the…
October 18, 2024 – Tomorrow, October 19, 2024, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) will publish the final regulations to implement Act 53 of 2020, commonly known as “the Occupational Licensing Reform Act.” The regulations will go into effect as of that date. Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS) applauds these regulations,…
Great news! Three big changes are coming to the SSI program on September 30, 2024. These changes will help thousands of people get more SSI benefits. Previously, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reduced SSI benefits for people who received help from friends, family, or others in certain situations. This is called In-Kind Support and Maintenance…
Philadelphia just released new property assessments, which are used to calculate property tax bills. If your assessed value went up, your property taxes will, too. If you think your home’s assessment is too high, you should appeal right away. You can do that by requesting a “First Level Review” with the Office of Property Assessment…
CLS is pleased to announce our proposed settlement agreement with the Philadelphia Water Department regarding the proposed annual adjustment to the rates, called the TAP-R rates, that fund discounts to participants in the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP). If approved, this settlement will save customers more than $13 million between September 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025 compared…
This information was last updated on April 16, 2024. Download flyer with this information here. Raise Your Hand Program If you or a member of your household is a senior (65 years or older), has a disability, or is a child (under 18 years old), your water service will not be shut off under PWD’s…
This information was last updated on April 16, 2024. Download flyer with this information here. If you live in Philadelphia and are behind on your gas or electric bills or have already received a shutoff notice, follow these steps right away to avoid losing service. Apply for grant assistance Apply for grants from LIHEAP (applications…
New Report Shows Unintentional, Systemic Bias in Philadelphia Property Assessments Today, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS) announced the publication of a new report, “Examining the Accuracy, Uniformity & Equity of Philadelphia’s 2023 Real Estate Tax Assessments.” The report, commissioned by CLS, and researched and authored by the Reinvestment Fund, in partnership with CLS and…
In 2023, over 330,000 Pennsylvanian households had their gas, electric, or water shut off because they could not afford to pay – and nearly 25% of Pennsylvanians reported foregoing food, medicine, and other basic needs to keep up with utility costs.[1] Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code creates unreasonable challenges for low and…
If your grandchild is in your care and lives in your home, your grandchild or grandchildren can receive a cash assistance grant of $205 a month ($316 for two children and $403 for three children) just for the grandchildren. Your income does not get counted. You can work or get social security or have savings.…
